Geek Warning – Details, episodes & analysis

The red carpet is out and dozens of interesting cycling products are strutting their way down it.

In this final episode of Geek Warning for 2025, the full cast of geeks assembles for the GWAs. What’s the GWAs you ask? What’s the GWAs?! It’s only the most prestigious and hard fought nonsense in all of cycling tech!

As always with Geek Warning, there are interesting and informative tangents around every corner. If you’re keen on those time stamps in order to jump through the sections, then you’re truly missing the point of this podcast.

Much of this episode is free to all, but only members of Escape Collective are invited to the afterparty. And as is often the case, it’s the afterparty where things get said and friendships are broken. If you haven't already, it's never too late to join.

We had fun putting this one together and we hope you have fun listening to it.

Time stamps:

2:30 - The about time reward
4:30 - Best new drivetrain
10:00 - The coolest bike of the year
18:30 - Our favourite products (one each)
32:00 - Our most read tech articles
38:00 - The biggest industry story and the word of the year
41:30 - We didn’t see that coming
46:00 - Most overrated new trend
56:00 - The Members Only after party
57:00 - The buyer’s remorse badge
1:08:00 - The ‘Wait, What?!’ Award
1:11:30 - Media Beef of the year
1:24:00 - The reoccurring news award
1:27:00 - The messiest situation (shituation?)
1:32:30 - The Grumpies
1:34:00 - Most anticipated new thing

Geek Warning time! Factor’s new One aero road bike, SRM’s non-power pedals, and whether riding bikes ever feels like work are all things Dave and Ronan discuss this week.

There’s a bit of happy news for Spotify users, with our member-only channels now available on the green app. If you’ve been missing out on the Ask a Wrench segment (this week with Brad Copeland) because you’re loyal to Spotify, then now is the time to jump in.

Time stamps:

3:00 - Factor’s new One
14:00 - New non-power pedals from SRM
23:00 - Cube’s recall
25:30 - Do we ever get sick of bikes?
37:30 - PSA for the bearings on your bike
40:15 - Ask a Wrench (Members Only)
41:00 - When to replace a punctured tubeless tyre
49:00 - How much of a difference do a few millimetres make?
57:00 - Pressures for winter tyres

Warning, geeks inbound. This week, Dave and Ronan catch up to discuss WorldTour rumours and a few of the bigger stories in tech. One of which is Wilier’s new aero bike, and while it wasn’t what Ronan had expected, it raises questions about whether the new crop of Hyperbikes are a consumer-friendly option.

Of course, there’s a PSA and Dave shares a ‘Good Thing’ that was on his mind from earlier in the day. And as per usual, members of Escape Collective get an extra half an hour of geekery as submitted questions get answered.

Time stamps:

1:00 - A little bit about electric tyre inflators
10:45 - Wilier’s new Filante SLR aero bike isn’t so radical
17:15 - WorldTour tech rumours
31:00 - Strava wants to be friends with Garmin again
34:00 - PSA to preventing stuck tubeless valve nuts
37:00 - Good Things for bleeding brakes
44:00 - Ask A Wrench (Members Only)
44:30 - Maintenance time versus durability in chain lubes
52:00 - Wedges in cycling shoes
1:01:00 - How to know when a slick tyre is worn
1:05:00 - Finding a 160 mm crank for use with 2x GRX

The tech never stops. This episode Brad Copeland and Dave Rome discuss a handful of new dropbar bikes, a recall, common mistakes with fitting chains, and their favourite… grease. Oh yes, it’s Geek Warning!

Those new bikes include the fascinatingly simple Specialized Crux DSW, a refreshed Bianchi Arcadex gravel bike, and OBED’s entry into the endurance road space. Meanwhile the geeks discuss Ellsworth’s recent return and entry into gravel.

Following a repair during the week, on Brad’s mind is how chain direction matters and it spurs a larger conversation about other common chain-related mistakes. Then Dave asks the hard hitting questions, asking Brad to pick a single grease of choice.

The episode wraps with a recall from Kuat and a tease for the upcoming Spoken Show (formerly Handmade Bicycle Show Australia) in Melbourne, Australia.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

Time stamps:

5:25 - Specialized’s new alloy bike and why simple wins
20:00 - Bianchi new Arcadex and why UDH is now the common feature in gravel
26:48 - Ellsworth returns to the dropbar world
33:00 - OBED RVR is another option with a taller stack height
39:25 - Chain direction is on Brad’s mind
46:40 - Pick one: Grease. Yes, grease.
53:50 - Roval releases a Team version of its Rapide CLX II road wheels
58:32 - Kuat has a recall that impacts 86,000 racks
1:01:30 - High-fives await in Melbourne

A €9,000 frame, a €27k build, and €22K spent on developing the bottle alone… Wilier has a new TT bike.

Escape Collective had exclusive access to the development of this new bike in a seemingly impossible time frame. Leading the design project was Marco Genovese, Head of Design at Wilier Triestina. With 14 years of experience in developing over 100 frames, Genovese knows a thing or two about carbon frame design. Escape Tech Editor Ronan Mc Laughlin sat down with Genovese to deep dive on all things frame design to discuss everything from brainwaves in the shower to initial concepts and from modern design tools to made-up UCI rules.

The Supersonica may be a time trial bike, but this bonus episode of the Geek Warning podcast is for anyone who has ever wondered how bikes are designed.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

A lot has happened in the world of cycling tech over the past week. The Dauphine has teased new bikes getting dialled in for the Tour. While Unbound has shown that gravel tech is still progressing at a rapid rate, including wider tyres, new 1x drivetrains, and aero-shaped suspension.

There’s a full cast of geeks to chat about it, with Ronan Mc Laughlin tuning in to discuss what’s new in the road space, while Dave Rome and new-old voice Brad Copeland discuss the rest.

Of course the geeks discuss something on their mind which should prove helpful for anyone with a stuck crank. The episode closes with tech news including Fulcrum’s new Sharq wheels, a new gravel race handlebar from Pro, a well-priced mountain bike shifter upgrade from SRAM, and more.

Escape Collective's podcasts are made possible by our members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

Also, we'd love to get your feedback on this show and our other shows. Share your thoughts at escapecollective.com/podcast-survey.

Time stamps:

4:26 - A swarm of new road bikes are coming from Canyon, Willier, Pinarello, and more
24:00 - A corrections corner
24:51 - New tech seen at Unbound Gravel, including things from SRAM, wider wheels, aero Fox suspension, and new bikes
42:20 - On our mind: stubborn crank bolts and methods for overcoming them
55:00 – Bianchi’s ribbon-cutting ceremony has us giggling
58:20 – Fulcrum’s new wavy-shaped Sharq wheels
1:02:40 – Pro Bike Gear’s new Discover Aero Carbon handlebar for better GRX integration
1:08:10 - SRAM’s new Pod Rocker upgrade for AXS

It's time for another bonus episode of Geek Warning.

Typically, we keep these bonus episodes for subscribers and members of Escape Collective, however, this one is being left open to all as a teaser for the type of stuff you’re missing by not being a member. If you like this and want more, sign up here. 

This episode is about gravel tire selection and trends in the thinking that bigger is better. It all came about through an Instagram post by former WorldTour pro-turned Gravel Pro Alex Howes, who had shared just how much he had been obsessing over tire selection for the 2024 edition of Unbound Gravel. And what makes this conversation all the more interesting is that Howes isn’t sponsored by a single tire brand, but rather an online retailer that sells all the brands - biketiresdirect.

Dave Rome and Howes cover a lot of ground in this one, including chatting slicks versus treads, picking the biggest volume possible, inserts or not, what to carry on a self-supported race like Unbound, and why white bar tape.If you don’t care about why, where, when, or how, and assuming the weather holds, Howes plans to race on Vittoria Terreno Zero tyres, in a 50 mm width up front and a 47 mm rear with inserts. He expects to start the day with approximately 19 psi in the front, and 24 psi rear. Still, if you find these details interesting, you’ll surely appreciate the conversation. Enjoy!

Welcome back to Geek Warning, a podcast by the Escape Collective, that covers everything to know in the world of bicycle tech. James Huang said farewell in our past episode, and with that, Dave is joined by a new voice that knows a thing or two about bicycle-related things – Brad Copeland.With a mountain bike World Cup race at Nové Město freshly finished, Dave and Brad discuss things in use by the winners, technical problems by a race favourite, and trends in tyre tech.The geeks share their favourite tubeless tyre sealants and a PSA applicable to all.It’s a relatively light week in terms of tech news, still, Brad and Dave share their thoughts on DT Swiss’ new premium gravel wheelsets, new well-priced carbon wheels from Easton, and a new gravel race jersey with its own sweat-patch.

Time stamps:
4:10 – Pre-Olympic tech spotted in use by Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Tom Pidcock
10:55 – Speculating about Victor Koretzky’s tech woes
15:20 – Are wider tyres always better for gravel and MTB? What does that mean for the future of tyre inserts?
37:25 - Pick one: tubeless tyre sealant
50:05 - PSA: test your spares!
57:10 - New DT Swiss GRC 1100 and 1400 Dicut gravel wheels
1:08:00 - Easton’s new EC90 ALX gravel and all-road hoops
1:10:40 - Castelli adds a hydration bladder to an aero jersey, so gravel

Ever feel like you’d like a lighter bike? Now imagine what your current bike would feel like if it was half of your body weight. For all too many kids who are learning to ride bikes, that’s exactly what it feels like to them. Premium kids’ bikes are a relatively new category, but also one that’s rapidly growing with more brands, models, sizes, and genres than ever before. Are they expensive? As compared to what you’d find in a big-box store, sure. But when you really think about what your kid might get out of a nicer bike, what actually goes into them, and even what you might get out of them once they’ve outgrown them, the numbers become easier to justify.

Fair warning: The full episode is only available to Escape Collective members. Head on over to escapecollective.com/member to support this show and everything else on our podcast network.

It’s just a regular week in May, but you can bet the bike industry is its usual buzz of activity. James Huang and Dave Rome offer some strong thoughts related to Shimano’s latest release of GRX Di2. There’s chat about Felt clawing its way back into the spotlight. Of course the geeks can't ignore the return of Kona Bikes. And there are rumblings that the old Interbike tradeshow may be coming back, too.

We’ve got custom bikes on our minds. We fail at picking one saddle. And there’s a PSA for all. The episode wraps with a round-up of new wheel-related things from Reynolds, Zipp, Roval, Chris King, and Hunt.

And then James shares his own news. Indeed this is the last episode you’ll hear James’ voice as he hangs up his digital gauge.

Time stamps:

2:00 - Shimano GRX 12-speed Di2
16:40 - Felt’s new VR endurance road bike
20:25 - Kona is back!
25:45 - Is the Interbike tradeshow coming back?
30:40 - On our mind: would we buy our own fully custom bike?
43:25 - Pick one: saddles
56:45 - You get accustomed to things being crummy
1:01:10 - Talking new wheel-related things from Reynolds, Zipp, Hunt, Roval, and Chris King
1:11:30 - James’ heart sinking news (tear emoji)